Seven opposition parties led by the Congress demand impeachment of the Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra on grounds of alleged misbehaviour and misuse of authority.

The political parties that are part of the move, besides the Congress, are the Nationalist Congress Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India (Marxist), Samajwadi Party and Indian Union Muslim League.

Allegations against CJIAllegations against Misra include his involvement in a conspiracy to pay bribes in relation to a medical admission scam, dealing with a case in which he was likely to fall under the scope of investigation, antedating an administrative order of 6 November 2017 and alleged abuse of administrative power in allocating cases in the Supreme Court. He is also embroiled in a land allotment case in Odisha where the lease of land allotted to him was cancelled by the state government owing to irregularities in an affidavit.

Need of support

The opposition parties will need the support of at least two-thirds of the MPs in both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha for the impeachment motion to go through.

Opposition parties met Rajya Sabha chairperson. If the move is admitted by the Rajya Sabha chairman, Naidu will set up a three-member committee to look into the allegations levelled by the opposition parties against the CJI .

Constitution provisions for removal of SC JudgeSection 124(4) of the Constitution outlines the process of impeachment of the CJI on the ground of “proven misbehaviour or incapacity”. It holds that a Supreme Court judge can only be removed from office on the basis of an order of the president after it has been addressed by both houses of Parliament and supported by a majority of not less than two-thirds of the members of that house, present and voting.